Hi there
On Sunday, Boxing Day here, we went out again to Jo and Jared's place in Haarlem.We walked through streets and parks and there were children and parents tobogganing on anything which resembled a slope and having a great time.We managed to persude Jared NOT to walk on the ice over the canal as none of was going to pull him out with any ease! Since most place were shut we went into the Grote Markt (big market place in photo) and had lunch at Brinkman's Cafe opposite the Grose Kerke (go on,work it out!). The Dutch do good soups we have found and that was a welcome lunch sitting outside in the week sunshine.Our walk back was a long way round and we saw many pretty sights including a large windmill(in another shot).
We have been having a real cultural overload here recently.On Monday we went to the Anne Frank House. The Anne Frank House is a respectful and well organised museum and NO gift shop!!Using the building itelf, Anne's writing, models,audio-visual displays Anne's story (and her family's) ae told very powerfully.Obviously,I knew her story - what English teacher doesn't? What I hadn't realised was how small the spaces where we she lived for those years. To be able to look out through the window which was Anne's only view of the world was a moment I will not forget.We all met up in the cafe for a restorative hot drink and time to come back to ourselves.It was a moving experience for us all.
After meeting up with Jo at the Club Med offices we walked to a sandwich place,Vlaamisch Broothuis for lunch - melts and open sandwiches. Delicious.As a complete contrast to the morning, we followed up in the afternoon with the Heineken Experience.Set in an old brewery, this sales experience cum museum makes skilful use of video screens, interactive games, beertasting, dray horses and even real beer drinking and Lambie had a good thirst!Dinner that night was at a Dutch restaurant - not really a cuisine that I had experienced before. Satay chicken was a colonial variation,other meals had a lot of mashed vegetables - or there was fondue!On the way back we had dessert - a crepe at a stall in the Winter Plaza near our hotel.
On Tuesday we decided to take the Hop On Hop Off canal boat which takes you around the canal system for about 14 euros for 24 hours.This city is amazing - the systematic settlement of this boggy set of islands (built on the Amstel River)
dates back to the 14th century and the trading history is apparent in the buildings you see along the canals. The variations in the building styles on the roof tops (see the photo) and building fronts all tell a story.As we motored along in the boat we crunched through the ice and occasionally had to divert for swans who do not get out of the way.There are also about 2500 houseboats along the canals in Amsterdam, many of them very elegant and well-appointed but some little more than floating slums. Having done a loop of the city we got off the boat and found lunch in the Hansel and Gretel Cafe (complete with oven!). Then we checked out the museum queues at the Rijksmuseum and the Van Gogh Museum and formulated a plan for the next day.
Two main principles have been revealed to us about going to big name places like this.First,whenever possible, book tickets on line because you avoid one line (always the longest)and a priority queue is a wonderful thing when its cold or wet!The desk staff at our hotel (Vondel Hotel-recommended highly)booked and print our tickets at any time which has been great.Second,always go early. The crowds which arrive for these places usually come in buses from about 10.00am and it is then that the crowds happen in full.
The next stop was the Rembrandt House after another journey on another canal boat. This museum is set out as Rembrandt would have lived in it. They know this because he went broke after taking a mortgage to buy the house and then having to sell up.They inventoried all his possessions and were able to set things out as they had been.It is a great way to get a feeling for the man and his work.The high windy staircases are a bit of a trial for large feet, but it's worth it!To see his works, studio where he worked and the collection of artefacts he used in his paintings was amazing.There was also a Caravaggio - a study of John the Baptist - which was really stunning too. Dinner was at Wagamama - the first time we had been there. Highly recommend that - and I know lots of you will have eaten at this great food place.
So today (Wednesday 29th) we got going really early to get to the Van Gogh Museum which is about 10 minutes walk away from our hotel, getting there just as it opened - and with tickets in hand. That was another amazing morning. There were so many great paintings. I loved a painting of a chestnut tree in full bloom.John loved the Monet of the bridge in the garden at Giverny.They really do Museums well in this city and there are so many to see. We walked back to the hotel to leave the purchases from the shop and get washing as we are currently at Jo and Jared's for dinner. Jillian, Struan and Kimberley (Jo's parents and sister) have been great company and with Jared we have had another wonderful day. We walked (about 5 kms) from our hotel to the Central Station, getting lunch and dinner at La Place in the V&D building.So we are sorted and looking forward to another great day in Amsterdam tomorrow.Lots of love to you all.
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